Home to some of the world’s most iconic pies, the pizza scene in Chicago rises to the occasion no matter how you slice it.
The city’s signature deep dish pizza is a classic Chicago experience, but there’s so much more to discover throughout the city’s downtown and neighborhoods. There’s tavern-style cut into crispy squares, bubbling wood-fired pies, and casual pizza joints run by Michelin-starred chefs.
Chicago's pizza scene
From neighborhood icons that have fed generations to upstarts tossing tradition in the air, here’s a taste of what Chicago’s pizza scene is cooking up.
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Chicago’s classic deep dish
Chicago’s deep dish pizza is legendary. Invented here during the 1940s, Chicago’s signature style of pizza is instantly recognizable for its bowl-like crust filled with cheese, sauce, and toppings (in that order). Make sure to grab a knife and fork before digging into one of these hefty pies:
Pizzeria Uno
Considered by many to be the original deep dish, Pizzeria Uno has become a local legend in the heart of downtown. Their signature pie is loaded with sausage, pepperoni, onions, peppers, mushrooms, mozzarella, romano, and Uno’s own chunky tomato sauce. If there’s a wait, try your luck at their second location Pizzeria Due right down the street.
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria
This family-owned chain is one of the city’s best-known spots for deep dish pizza. Lou Malnati’s was founded by the son of Rudy Malnati, who is credited by many as being the inventor of Chicago-style pizza. They’ve stayed true to that original recipe, expanding their pizza empire to dozens of Chicagoland locations. No matter which you visit, make sure to upgrade your pie to include their signature butter crust.
Gino’s East
Gino’s East is known for its Chicago-style deep dish pizza. But there’s so much more to love about the local chain. Their downtown location is also a brewery and small-stage venue, showcasing live music and comedy throughout the week. Of course, the pizza is worth mentioning. The 50-year-old recipe is slowly baked in seasoned cast iron pans until the crust is golden and flaky, then served piping hot and right out of the pan at your table.
Giordano’s Famous Stuffed Pizza
Giordano’s is famous for their stuffed deep dish pizza, which comes full-to-the-brim with a range of fresh toppings. The menu includes staples, like the Chicago Classic filled with pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers and onions, and inventive options, like the Greek with spit-roasted gyro meat, feta and mozzarella cheese, and Greek herb blend, served with a side of tzatziki sauce.
Pequod’s Pizza
Looking for a fresh spin on deep dish? Pequod’s Pizza serves up its crave-worthy caramelized-crust version near Lincoln Park. The casual pub bakes their deep dish in cast-iron pans, so the cheese overflows onto the edges and gets the perfect amount of almost-burnt. To avoid a wait, call ahead before you go. Or just wander down the street to sister establishment Whale Tale for a free coffee or pop while you wait.
Bartoli’s Pizzeria
Having observed his grandfather Fred Bartoli build a pizza empire with Gino’s East, founder and owner Brian Tondryk set out to start one of his own. Celebrating family tradition and a lifelong love of pizza, he opened Bartoli’s Pizzeria in Roscoe Village in 2013 — later adding a West Town outpost — after fine-tuning Fred’s foundational recipes. Bartoli’s slings the best of both worlds: golden deep dish and tavern-style pies, with over 30 toppings to mix and match.
Williams Inn Pizza & Sports Bar
Carrying forward a legacy from 1969, Williams Inn Pizza & Sports Bar is a tribute to resilience, family, and a slice of Chicago history. Founded by Lulu Williams, the original Williams Inn Pizzeria flourished for three decades in Englewood until a fire claimed the building. Today, under the leadership of Lulu’s grandson Jamal Junior, the pizzeria has reopened in the South Loop, showcasing crowd-pleasing deep dish alongside pub fare like burgers, wings, and more — all in a welcoming, LGBTQ-inclusive space.
Pizano’s Pizza
Founder Rudy Malnati Jr. debuted Pizano’s Pizza on State Street in 1991, drawing from the deep dish tradition his father helped pioneer at Pizzeria Uno. Along with their classic deep dish pies, Pizano’s thin crust features a crisp and buttery golden crust made from a secret Malnati family recipe. With multiple locations across town, Pizano’s makes it easy to dig into deep dish and thin-crust pies whenever the mood strikes.
Connie’s Pizza
With one daring deal — trading an Oldsmobile for a humble South Side storefront — founder Jim Stolfe launched Connie’s Pizza in 1963. Jim kept the shop name from its previous owner, Connie DeGrazia, and began crafting pizzas with a dough recipe inspired by his grandmother and a local baker. While deep dish and original pan put Connie’s on the map, their Bridgeport flagship also offers thin crust, Sicilian, tavern style, and more to satisfy every pizza craving.
Tavern-style and thin crust pizza
Chicago’s pizza scene is so much more than deep dish. A local favorite, tavern style pizza is an essential Chicago dish. The hallmarks of a good tavern-style pie include a cracker-thin crust and smaller square-cut slices, perfect for sharing. Get your thin-crust fix at these Chicago spots:
Candlelite
A favorite in Rogers Park since 1950, Candlelite pairs a retro-cool charm with irresistible tavern-style pizza known for its edge-to-edge crunch. Famous for their fresh margherita and signature white pies, this neighborhood fixture is a go-to for comfort food and a cold beer. Their second location in Lincoln Park provides even more room and an expansive beer garden.
Pizza Matta
In Logan Square, Pizza Matta brings together two regional pizza powerhouses under one roof: Chicago tavern-style pies and classic foldable New York slices. The brainchild of Chef Jason Vincent, the culinary force behind the acclaimed restaurant Giant, Pizza Matta uses fermented dough to lay the foundation for thoughtfully sourced toppings, such as Slagel Farms sausage and Caruso Provisions giardiniera.
Home Run Inn
This family-owned business has been tossing up classic Chicago pizza since 1947. Home Run Inn’s original location first opened as a small tavern on Chicago’s South Side. Today, their thin crust pies are still made fresh daily. They have three Chicago locations, including the original near South Lawndale, plus spots near Beverly and Midway Airport.
Bungalow by Middle Brow
This hip spot in Logan Square is a natural winery, brewery, bakery, and one of the city’s best pizza spots. Bungalow by Middle Brow is known for their sourdough pizza dough, made entirely with Midwestern ingredients. Their pies rotate with the seasons to feature the freshest produce available and pair perfectly with their in-house wines and beers.
Robert’s Pizza and Dough Company
Tucked along a quiet stretch of waterfront in Streeterville, Robert’s Pizza and Dough Company turns thin-crust pizza into an art form. Their brick-oven pies feature an artisan dough recipe perfected over two decades, delivering both a satisfying chew and crisp bite. Their charming patio is one of Chicago’s best-kept secrets.
More essential Chicago pizza spots
Some spots defy easy categorization. From classic pies with a twist to one-of-a-kind creations, these unique Chicago pizza joints are forging their own path. There are authentic Neapolitan-style pies, coal-fired crusts, gluten-free options, and so much more.
Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder
Three words: Pizza. Pot. Pie. This Lincoln Park pizzeria is known worldwide for their signature creation. Each pizza pot pie at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder is made from scratch, with triple-raised Sicilian-style dough, homemade sauce, a special blend of cheeses, sausage, and whole, fresh mushrooms. If you have room, don’t skip an order of Mediterranean bread on the side.
Pizza Friendly Pizza
This casual neighborhood spot in the West Town neighborhood is helmed by Noah Sandoval, the head chef at Chicago’s Michelin-starred Oriole. The menu at Pizza Friendly Pizza features Sicilian-style pan pizzas elevated with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. Kick back on the patio or order a slice from the takeout window inside beloved music venue The Empty Bottle.
Spacca Napoli
Get a taste of Italy at this Ravenswood spot. Spacca Napoli has earned legions of loyal fans, who come back again and again to enjoy authentic Neapolitan-style pizza in the casual, rustic space. Their dough is tended daily and baked in ovens built by third and fourth-generation artisans from Napoli. And many of their ingredients come from exclusive Italian vendors, creating a pie you can’t get anywhere else in the city.
Roots Handmade Pizza
Roots Handmade Pizza specializes in Quad Cities-style pizza, distinguished by its malt-infused dough that adds a hint of sweetness to the crust. Cut into strips instead of traditional slices, this style of pizza is great for dipping, sharing, and devouring. The malty crust meets its match in a refreshing Midwestern pour — and luckily, the drink menu boasts over a dozen Midwestern brews. Visit the West Loop outpost and their breezy rooftop perch in Printer’s Row.
Professor Pizza
Bringing serious pizza credentials to Old Town, Professor Pizza dishes up a curriculum of flavor-forward pies developed by chef Tony Scardino, a bona fide World Pizza Champion. Take a cross-country pizza trip without leaving the city — Chicago tavern-cut pies, New York-style slices, Sicilian squares, Detroit deep dish, and grandma-style pizza are all on the menu. No matter if you’re a pizza purist or adventurous eater, Professor Pizza makes the grade every time.
Coalfire
Coalfire isn’t Chicago-style pizza, but that’s because it isn’t anything-style pizza — they’ve created something that’s just their own. Their addictive thin-crust pies combine the best of a variety of different styles, emerging from the 1,500-degree coal oven with crispy edges and a delicate center. Try the lasagna pie, topped with mozzarella, sausage, garlic, sweet red peppers, and dollops of whipped ricotta.
Piece Brewery and Pizzeria
Piece Brewery and Pizzeria in Wicker Park spot is crafting more than just pizza. They also brew their own beer, including pale ales, IPAs, seasonal brews, and more. Each pairs perfectly with their New Haven-style pies, a distinct pizza style known for its crispy-yet-chewy crust.
Chicago pizza tours
Ready to eat your way across Chicago? Pizza tours offer a slice-by-slice journey through the city’s most iconic and under-the-radar pizzerias.
Chicago Pizza Tours
Hop on the Chicago Pizza Tour bus for a guided tour of the city’s pizza culture. You’ll learn the science behind the pies, sample legendary slices and go off the beaten path to visit hidden gems. In just a few hours, you’ll cover 20 miles and taste multiple styles of pizza from all across the city.
Pizza City USA Tours
Led by a James Beard Award-winning food reporter and Chicago local, this in-depth tour covers the best Chicago pies. Steve Dolinsky has sampled hundreds of local pies and uncovered 10 distinct regional styles. His Pizza City USA Tours go beyond the deep dish hype to give visitors an authentic taste of Chicago pizza as you walk through different city neighborhoods.
